Prime Time Wrestling - June 9, 1986

Hello again, everybody, it's time for Prime Time Wrestling with Gorilla Monsoon and your host, Bobby "the Brain" Heenan. Gorilla mentions that we'll be seeing some "most unusual individuals" this week. The two also get into a random discussion about the $15,000 slam challenge on Big John Studd, because that's still apparently a Big Deal. But with so much going on in the World Wrestling Federation, let's get down to ringside for...

George "The Animal" Steele vs. "Adorable" Adrian Adonis

They're rehashing stuff from Maple Leaf Gardens and its enigmatic RAMP, unless otherwise noted. Gorilla and the Brain are the audio team. George gets a pretty good pop as he enters. Adonis attacks right at the bell, choking George out with his scarves and then on the ring ropes. George sneaks in his trusty Foreign Object and knocks Adonis out onto the ramp, where he follows him out and delivers a slam. They wander around the fairly cramped ringside area, causing Heenan to bail. George tosses a few chairs in, because ... why not? Adonis gets the upper hand when they're back in the ring and we go all punchy-kicky. Adonis does his usual over-sell into the turnbuckles and even gets crotched on the ropes. George whips him to the tunrbuckle and, on the rebound, Adonis does a very blatant ref bump with a reverse elbow. While the ref is out, George applies the flying hammerlock. George then realizes what's happening and tries to revive the ref. Adonis sneaks up from behind for an under-hook schoolboy roll-up and scores the pin. Adonis's selling tactics carried the match, but it was still garbage. Somewhat depressing that these two guys were pretty much "upper midcard" for this time period.

Tony "Cannonball" Parisi vs. Steve Lombardi

Before we cut to the match, Gorilla mentions that Parisi was once a regular tag partner of Bruno Sammartino. Parisi controls with some basic offense, including a hip-toss into an armbar for a few minutes. Couple shoulder-blocks, but Lombardi gets a slam to no effect. Lombardi makes the ropes to break another arm-bar, then hops outside. He catches Parisi with a kick to the noggin on the return and works him over. The ol' head-to-the-turnbuckle gets 2, then Lombardi applies a reverse chinlock. The Society of Resthold Haters has voyaged to Toronto and lets their collective opinion known. Lombardi dumps Parisi onto the ramp and tries to work the crowd. Back in, a Lombardi clothesline gets 2. Irish-whip reversal and Lombardi eats post. Backdrop, slam, then Parisi leaps from the second turnbuckle with a seated splash ("the cannonball") to get the 3.

Ken Resnick Studio Interview with "Magnificent" Muraco and Mr. Fuji

Fuji talks about the duo's "mind-to-mind communication" before Muraco comes in with a joke. "Ronald Reagan, Mikail Gorbachev and Ferdinand Marcos were all stranded on a desert island and there was only one parachute". Why would you need a parachute on an island, but whatever. Marcos jokes were a dime-a-dozen in 1986 and this is no different, yet they all seem to actually dig it. A quick shot at Paul Orndorff is included, for good measure.

Jake "the Snake" Roberts on TNT

Another replay from a recent TNT episode. Gene Okerlund is the host and is freaked out by all of Jake's various snakes. A buncha' rattlers, black mambas and even a group of cobras are all set up in their own little display cases. Very much like any 80's talk show, when a zoo handler would bring on weird animals. To keep it vaguely wrestling-related, Jake compares two lethargic snakes to Hulk Hogan and Ricky Steamboat.

Jacques & Raymond Rougeau vs. Hercules Hernandez & Terry Gibbs

One of the first TV matches for the Rougeaus; if not THE first. Check out the weird heel combo. Gotta' guess somebody no-showed. I mean, Terry Gibbs?! Despite this, Gibbs works the match fairly well and this feels like a late 70's tag match. The heels start off by taunting the Rougeaus, feigning a lock-up, then stalling. Herc & Gibbs tag out a few times, just to rile everybody up. Jacques floors Gibbs with a few shoulder-blocks, then Raymond comes in to slam Herc. The brothers do a double-dropkick on Gibbs! Another (single) drop-kick from Jacques sends Herc to the ramp. Herc tries to slow it down by challenging Raymond to an arm-wrestling contest, on the mat. Raymond falls for it and like the Three Stooges carrying a canoe, you just know what's gonna' happen: Herc starts strong, but as Raymond comes back, Herc rakes the eyes. Rougeaus clear the ring, again, until it settles into Jacques vs Gibbs. Jacques goes a reverse flying bodypress from the second rope, but eats canvas. They work over Jacques in their corner, the Gibbs whips him to the ropes for a reverse elbow/forearm for 2. Jacques lands a sunset flip for 2, the Gibbs slows it down with a front facelock. More face-in-peril time for Jacques, as Herc tosses him outside and Gibbs throws him into the apron, twice. Back in, Herc delivers a gorilla-press slam, then tags in Gibbs for an abdominal stretch and an atomic drop. Jacques reverses an Irish-whip attempt from Herc and delivers a backdrop. Hot tag to Raymond, who backdrops Gibbs, mule-kicks Herc and does the ol' double noggin-knocker. Slam for both guys as Ray is cleaning house. Bad guy double-team slam stops the momentum, then all four brawl in the ring. Heel miscommunication, then Jacques flies from the second turnbuckle with a drop-kick to score the 3 count on Gibbs. Really, not too bad of a match, even though you kinda' knew Gibbs would be doing the job.

Ken Resnick Studio Interview with Billy Jack Haynes

Straighforward interview, as Haynes introduces himself to the audience and recalls how he broke into the sport. Plugs for Oregon and his full Nelson hold, too. Resnick name-drops "Macho Man" Randy Savage in one of those scripted challenges. Haynes is just "happy to be here".

Moondog Rex and Moondog Spot vs. Nelson Veilluex & Tony Parks

A "special added attraction" as it looks like it was pulled from a syndicated show. Gorilla's solo in the booth, for whatever that's worth. Spot and Parks start with a criss-cross shoulderblock trade-off, then Parks surprises everyone by slamming Spot. Spot tags out to Rex, who comes in for some clubberin'. Veilleux gets more of the same, then Spot returns for a shoulder-breaker and a side back-breaker. Rex with a headlock, then sneaks in some closed paw shots on Veilluex's noggin, then flattens him with a press-slam. Parks tries to get something started--and the fans actually seem into it-- until Rex catches him off the ropes for a big spinny powerslam. Rex goes for the pin, but pulls him up at 2. The Moondogs perform their finisher; basically the same thing as the "Demolition Decapitation"; as Spot connects with a flying elbow to score the pin. Good showcase for the Moondogs, as they came off looking like mild bad-asses.

WWF Classic: Andre the Giant vs. Alexis Smirnoff

The studio intro allows the Brain to rile things up about Andre's recent suspension. Gorilla doubts it, saying it's "highly unlikely". Match is from a Kiel Auditorium (St. Louis, MO) taping from 1984 with Vince McMahon and "Mean" Gene Okerlund on commentary. First half is the usual "ha-ha-haaaa! Andre is just SO big" stuff. Smirnoff tries a flying headscissors and a hip-toss, but Andre doesn't budge. Smirnoff bails for a bit, then tries to apply a full Nelson. Andre simply butt-bumps him and send him flying. Smirnoff blocks a backdrop by kicking Andre in the head. Stomp, stomp, punch, ARMBAR from Smirnoff. Andre fights back with a series of headbutts, a big boot and a seated half-assed splash (literally) to get the pin. Yeah....who was asking for this match to be pulled out from the vaults?

S.D. Jones & Paul Roma vs. The Menace & Jim Haley

Looks like it's from the taping as the Moondogs match, but with about 1/4 the crowd. Ouch. The kayfabe story is that Jones and Roma formed their tag-team on a recent Australian tour. Gorilla jokes that they're "two youngters on their way up". No idea who the Menace is; maybe some guy named "Dennis"? Hey-oh! Roma goes face-to-face with the menace of the ... Menace... for awhile, getting the upper hand, err, arm, with an arm-wringer. They work the arm for a bit, until a tag to Haley. Jones wins a wasitlock sequence, then applies a reverse hammerlock. They go with that for a bit, as Jones and Roma tag in and out. Big jumping headbutt from Jones, then he tags in Roma for a whip into a powerslam to get the 3 count.

"Mr. USA" Tony Atlas vs. King Kong Bundy

Gorilla wonders why so many Heenan Family members have been popping up on Prime Time, lately. Heenan contends that it's because he's the host, naturally. We finish off in Toronto for our "feature match". Yes, no typo; this is our feature... with two guys we saw lock-up all of two episodes ago. Slightly different beginning, as Atlas tries two charging shoulderblocks, but gets floored for his efforts. He tries another charge and manages to take Bundy to the mat with a flying bodypress. Bundy with a kneelift and double axe-handle, but Atlas comes back with a headbut of the ropes and a one-legged drop-kick to send Bundy outside. Fans errupt and Atlas starts barking for whatever reason. Bundy returns to dish out a clothesline, then chokes and kicks Atlas right into the Brain's ringside table position. A slam and an elbowdrop only get 2 for Bundy. It's time for a slower carbon copy of their last match, as Atlas comes off the second turnbuckle with a headbutt. Bundy quickly reverses him into the corner and connects with an avalanche. Bundy drops a big elbow and scores the pin. Again. He gets the house mic and threatens Hulk Hogan for good measure.

Well fans, that wraps it up for another edition of Prime Time Wrestling. Heenan gets irate that people are doubting Andre's suspension as the credits roll.

Why'd You Watch This?:
This....was quite terrible. Not a single segment or match I'd recommend viewing. Even the studio sessions were very generic. Maybe check out Rougeaus vs. Hernandez and Gibbs... then maybe the Haynes interview for its weird qualities. Yet those are BIG "maybes", as this episode was tough to get through.